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Monday, December 17, 2012

Hardcastle Crags 17/12/2012

Michael suggested at the HSS (Halifax Scientific Society) social, now was the time of year to look for of Hygrophorous hypothejus (Herald of Winter), which normally appear after the first frosts, around pine trees. I had a one hour window after shopping in Hebden Bridge and I decided to take a quick look and see if I could find it in Hardcastle Crags. Visibility wasn't good, as it was a overcast, wet day. I did find the pine trees but, unfortunately, no Hygrophorous hypothejus. All was no lost however, as I did find these specimens below.

8 comments:

The pine cone one looks interesting.According to my book,for what it's worth :-) the Pinecone Cap generally fruits in spring where as the more common(?)Conifercone Cap(Baeospora myosura) fruits in the autumn, maybe it's that one. Third from the bottom looks like Birch Woodwart (H.multiforme).

Ahh, you're right Charlie. I did see this is the book yesterday, but confusion has led me to put Pinecone Cap. Thanks for your comment. If you're up to searching for the Herald, soon let me know when you are free. Steve is a little tied up but I've sent him a message seeing if he can help with the search this week at some time.

I can’t seem to get my head around fungi,they all seem too hard for me to identify,if at all.I think I'll end up going back to mothing,it was so much easier,of the 400+ species I recorded in Calderale all but one or two were recorded down to species level – most relatively easily! I’ll definitely keep an eye though for any interesting fungi in the future and post them on the blog.

Are you sure the 3rd one up from the bottom is on birch? Young oak trunks and branches can look very like birch. (Even when prehistoric oak appears out of the peat on the moors.)I'm trying to make it into Black Bulgar, Bulgaria inquinans, but maybe it wasn't rubbery.